Combination tool



Nov. 14, 1961 c. D. FORD COMBINATION TOOL Filed May 2, 1958 INVENTOR.

F 0RD CHARLES 0.

mym

HIS ATTOR/VE Y 5 United States Patent M 3,008,238 COMBINATION TOOL Charles D. Ford, 6105 Orchard St., Richmond, Calif. Filed May 2, 1958, Ser. No. 732,475 4 Claims. (Cl. 33--89) My invention relates to tools and more particularly to a combination tool for use in carpentry.

Among the objects of my invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved combination tool;

(2) To provide a novel and improved combination tool for use in carpentry;

(3) To provide a novel and improved combination tool involving a steel tape, level and square in compact form.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a three dimensional view of the combination tool of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view in elevation of the combination tool of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view in elevation of the combination tool of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view in section taken in the plane 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are fragmentary views depicting positional limits of a component of the combination tool of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings for details of my invention in its preferred form, the combination tool depicted therein comprises a steel tape measure 1 and associated housing 3 therefor having planar end walls 5 and 7 bounded by an upper edge wall 9, a lower planar edge wall 11, and side edge walls 13 and 15 extending beyond said upper edge wall.

Between the extended side walls 13, 15 and hingedly secured along the upper edge wall 9 of the housing, so as to adapt the same to lie in the plane of the end Wall 7, is a squaring plate 17. This squaring plate is provided with a squaring flange 19, preferably at right angles thereto; and within the squaring plate itself, there is provided a right angle cutout 21 whose bisector lies normal to the squaring flange 19.

Between the extended side edge walls 13, 15 of the housing, along the upper edge wall 9 there is located a sight level 23 which is preferably fixed to the upper edge wall in strict parallel relationship to the lower planar edge wall 11, whereby the level may be employed by placing the combination tool on the item to be leveled, with the lower edge wall 11 of the tool in contact therewith.

The freedom of movement of the squaring plate 17 about its hinge axis is preferably limited between a position where the squaring flange 19 spans the free ends of the extended side edge walls 13, 15 as depicted in FIGURES 1 and 5, and a position where the squaring plate lies in the plane of the end wall 7 of the housing as depicted in FIGURES 3 and 6. This is realized by afiixing to the squaring plate 17 transversely thereof, a double ended detent 25 having a spring pressed pin at each end adapted to engage in swing limiting recesses 27, 29 in the proximate extended side edge wall.

The squaring plate 17 is particularly useful in connection with squaring 'off of two by four like beams 31, by laying the tool transversely of such beam with the squaring flange in firm contact against an edge or side of the beam, whereby either of the extended side edge walls may be utilized as a guide for marking cutofl lines. In this connection, the extended side edge walls may be Patented Nov. 14., 1961 inscribed with ruled markings whereby depth cuts may be readily marked off on the beam.

With the combination tool in the same position, the right angle cutout provides a 45 degree edge, both in the right and left direction, which can be utilized in marking off degree angle cuts.

When not in use, the squaring plate may be swung to a position which brings the squaring flange in spanning relationship to the free ends of the extended side edge walls, in which position it will be maintained by the spring pressed pins. In this connection, the squaring flange may be of a length to overlie the ends of the side edge walls, at which locations, the flange may be grooved to receive the ends of the side edge walls.

From the foregoing description of my invention in its preferred form, it will be apparent that the same is subject to alteration and modification without departing from the underlying principles involved, and while I have disclosed the same in its preferred form, I do not wish to be limited in my protection to the specific details illustrated and described except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Combination tool comprising a steel tape housing having a planar end wall bounded by an upper edge wall, a lower edge wall, and side edge walls extending beyond said upper edge wall, said planar end wall paralleling the plane of a roll of tape in said housing, a substantial rigid squaring plate hingedly secured along the upper edge wall of said housing between said extended side edge walls and adapted to lie in the plane of said planar end wall,

said squaring plate being of a length comparable to the extended portions of said side edge walls and having a squaring flange along its free edge, and means for predetermining the angle of swing of said squaring plate from a position with its squaring flange spanning the ends of said extended side edge walls to a position in the plane of the aforementioned end wall.

2. Combination tool comprising a steel tape housing having a planar end wall bounded by an upper edge wall, a lower edge wall, and side edge walls extending beyond said upper edge wall, a squaring plate hingedly secured along the upper edge wall of said housing between said extended side edge walls and adapted to lie in the plane of said planar end wall, said squaring plate having a squaring flange and a right angle cutout whose bisector lies normal to said squaring flange, and means for predetermining the angle of swing of said squaring plate from a position with its squaring flange spanning the ends of said extended side edge walls to a position in the plane of the aforementioned end wall, said means including a double ended spring actuated detent mounted across said squaring plate and adapted to engage in position determining recesses in said extended side edge walls.

3. Combination tool comprising a steel tape housing having a planar end wall bounded by an upper edge wall, a lower planar edge wall, and side edge walls extending beyond said upper edge wall, a squaring plate hingedly secured along the upper edge wall of said housing between said extended side edge walls and adapted to lie in the plane of said planar end wall, said squaring plate having a squaring flange and a right angle cutout whose bisector lies normal to said squaring flange, a sight level between said extended side edge walls along said upper edge wall, and means for predetermining the angle of swing of said squaring plate from a position with its squaring flange spanning the ends of said extended side edge walls to a position in the plane of the aforementioned end wall, said means including a double ended spring actuated detent mounted across said squaring plate and adapted to engage in position determining recesses in said extended side edge walls.

4. Combination tool comprising a steel tape housing having planar end walls bounded by an upper edge wall, a lower planar edge wall, and side edge walls extending beyond said upper edge wall, a squaring plate hingedly secured along the upper edge Wall of said housing between said extended side edge walls and adapted to lie in the plane of one of said planar end walls, said squaring plate having a squaring flange at 90 degrees thereto, and a right angle cutout whose bisector lies normal to said squaring flange, a sight level between said extended side edge walls along said upper edge wall, means for predetermining the angle of swing of said squaring plate from a position with its squaring flange spanning the ends of said extended side edge walls to a position in the plane of the aforementioned end wall, said means including a double ended spring actuated detent mounted across said squaring plate and adapted to engage in position determining recesses in said extended side edge Walls, and ruled markings along at least one of said side edge walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

